1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dentifrice compositions and methods for formulating, dispensing and using the same, and more specifically to a granular dentifrice, comprising mainly particulate baking soda, that forms a granular slurry when gravity fed into a liquid reservoir. Application of the dentifrice slurry to teeth and gums under pressure in the form of a jet stream, such as by a Water Pik.RTM., removes stains, placque and odor from teeth and gums.
2. Background Art
It has been long known that a coating of powdered baking soda or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO.sub.3) applied to a toothbrush aids in removal of food particles, stains, and odor from teeth and gums. Powdered dentifrices, when applied directly to toothbrushes, tend to be messy and inconvenient to use, however. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,056,096 to Etter for a device for dispensing toothpowder to a toothbrush with minimum waste of powder and spillage. Thus, a variety of dentifrices, formulated in the form of stable pastes and packaged in squeezable toothpaste tubes, have largely supplanted toothpowders. Such toothpaste formulations include, among others, those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,403,578, 4,980,154, and 4,522,805 to Gordon, incorporated herein, and references cited therein, and typically incorporate abrasive and polishing agents, such as calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate to effect the removal of dental placque, food particles and stains. Commonly, toothpaste formulations have also included whiteners as well as a fluoride compound for combining chemically into the enamel structure of the teeth so as to cause the enamel to become harder.
Tooth brushing alone, however, is usually inadequate to fully remove dental placque and to prevent dental caries and mouth odor; consequently, dental hygienists recommend daily flossing supplemented by a professional cleaning of the teeth by a dental hygienist at six month intervals. Oral irrigation devices have also been developed that provide a pulsed, liquid jet stream for cleaning where brushing and flossing cannot reach, especially around orthodontic braces, crowns and bridgework. Exemplary of such devices is the Water Pike of Teledyne Industries, Inc., of Fort Collins, Colo., as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,302,186 and 4,337,040 to Cammack, et al., and 4,989,590 to Baum, et al., which disclosures are incorporated herein. Regular use of an oral irrigation device, as a supplement to regular tooth brushing and flossing, can significantly reduce inflammation, bleeding and bacteria associated with gingivitis.
Particulate sodium bicarbonate has been used as a cleaning abrasive within a jet air stream emitted under pressure through an orifice, such as for removing paint from aluminum surfaces, for instance; see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,083,402 and 5,081,799 to Kirschner, et al.; see also, PCT/U.S. Ser. No. 90/04230. The abrasive characteristic of sodium bicarbonate has also been utilized in polishing teeth. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,882,638; 3,972,123; 4,174,571; 4,412,402; 4,214,871; 4,462,803; 4,482,322; 4,487,582; 4,492,575; 4,494,932; and 4,522,597. It appears, however, that the advantages inherent in directing baking soda under pressure in the form of a liquid slurry toward teeth and gums has heretofore been neither recognized nor implemented.
In sum, prior to my invention, a complete program of dental hygiene has required at least regular tooth brushing and regular flossing, supplemented by professional cleanings at six month intervals; and, in addition, for persons with braces or other dental appliances, regular cleanings by oral irrigation as well. There remains, therefore, a need for a dentifrice, and for oral hygiene apparatus for using the dentifrice, that will, through a single, convenient, daily cleaning procedure, adequately clean and whiten the teeth, and remove food particles, dental placque, and mouth odor, such that the other dental cleaning procedures will ordinarily no longer be required for maintenance of healthy, sound teeth and gums. The present invention fills that need by providing a granular, powdered dentifrice, comprising principally baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and apparatus for dispensing the dentifrice into a liquid reservoir, to form a slurry for application to teeth and gums under pressure in the form of a liquid jet stream.